Third Coast Pocket Conference

The Third Coast Pocket Conference is the start of the next great story, featuring sessions from Third Coast Conferences and more.

Description

The Third Coast Pocket Conference is the start of your next great story — featuring sessions from Third Coast Conferences and more.
Subscribe to learn about creating audio stories from some of the most creative and innovative minds in the podcasting world and beyond.

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Episodes

Experiments in Generative Sound Design (2017)

Mar 27, 201801:23:18

Description:

In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, sound artist and designer Stephan Moore demonstrates his approach to sound design.

He explains how he incorporates generative techniques into a range of unusual projects, including a 500 lb. ear training device, a 40-speaker installation in the Guggenheim Museum, and a system to create a musical accompaniment to the Australian motorway system.

The Tyranny of Good Talkers (2017)

Mar 20, 201801:49:19

Description:

Often, the first question a show or editor will ask you when you pitch them an amazing story is whether your subject is "a good talker." But what if they're not? What if English is their second or third language? Or they come from a culture that tells stories that under-emphasize the self? Do they have any place in an American podcast aesthetic that is so relentlessly focused on "I"?

Gregory Warner wrestled with this problem in creating NPR's first international podcast, Rough Translation.

In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, Gregory pulls from his own tape to show how you can work with challenging interviews of so-called “bad talkers” to create exceptional stories.

The Argument of "Objectivity" (2017)

Mar 13, 201801:22:10

Description:

Is traditional “objectivity” in journalism on its way out? In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, NPR editor Alicia Montgomery and reporter/editor Shaya Tayefe Mohajer hash out points of agreement and disagreement over the role of "objectivity" in radio and print.

No One's Source (2017)

Mar 6, 201801:33:52

Description:

After a lifetime in the system, Noel Anaya got unprecedented permission from family court to record the hearing where he’d age out of foster care--and worked with Youth Radio to, in his words, “blow it up on NPR.”

Noel and two Youth Radio producers, Teresa Chin and Lissa Soep, go deep into the making of Youth Radio stories to share what they've learned about establishing the “rules” of collaboration from the beginning, bouncing back when best-laid plans fall through, navigating challenging moments like when you’re required to fact-check the lived experience of your creative partner, and managing the digital afterlife of a story once it’s aired.

Playing with Reality & Pushing the Boundaries (2017)

Feb 27, 201801:35:19

Description:

Imagine opening your work to the possibilities of drama and fiction that can bring a rich, more expansive story to life. Think of the elements you could incorporate… dreams, satire, flashbacks, recreations, invented characters, fantasy plot turns, speculative futures, and much more. And what does it sound like when you push the boundaries of reality? In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, Ann Heppermann (The Sarah Awards) and Ellen Horne (Audible) take a look at the wild yonder and the scary and fascinating dilemmas in that space.

Beyond the Green: Radical Encounters in Interviewing (2017)

Feb 20, 201801:32:59

Description:

Performance art and audio journalism probably don’t seem like they have much overlap. But Multimedia-maker Sook-Yin Lee and audio artist Veronica Simmonds strongly disagree. In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, the pair talked about the unconventional inspirations they used to create their podcast Sleepover for Canada’s CBC. From a seven-hour cinema provocation to a fly-on-the-wall documentary disappearing act, find out how time + space + face-to-face durational encounters with strangers = exceptional audio stories.

The Confessional: When is a Personal Story Worth Sharing? (2017)

Feb 14, 201801:49:13

Description:

Turning the mic on yourself is not easy. Baring your heart and soul for anyone to hear can be a bit terrifying.

At the 2017 Third Coast Conference, reporter Sally Herships retraced the making of her story, 'As Many Leaves.' She walked through the process of creating her meditation on loss and explained how to keep your journalistic integrity while opening yourself up to the world. She was joined by Alan Hall of Falling Tree Productions, who commissioned Sally's piece. Together, they shared their approaches to crafting this narrative and the challenges they faced in making a personal tale resonate more broadly.

How to Become an Investigative Reporter with One Simple Trick (2017)

Feb 6, 201801:43:23

Description:

Madeleine Baran and Samara Freemark of APM Reports' In the Dark, love the intimacy of radio and the power it has to transport us into other people’s lives. But as producers of an investigative podcast, they think audio storytelling can do more. At the 2017 Third Coast Conference, they explained how to use the power of a good question to transform your reporting and writing, and how to turn slice-of-life stories into impactful investigative journalism.

AIR's Bitchin' Pitch Panel Pt. 2 (2017)

Feb 1, 201801:17:36

Description:

AIR’s Bitchin' Pitch Panel puts three people directly in front of a panel of editors, where they pitch their stories and everyone gets insight into the process. There to help the pitchers and moderate in 2017 was producer Leila Day, co-host of The Stoop podcast. This is the second of two Bitchin’ Pitchin’ sessions from the 2017 Third Coast Conference. In this session, the panel features Shereen Marisol Meraji of NPR’s podcast Code Switch, senior producer of original content at Audible Millie Jefferson, and Sruthi Pinnamaneni, senior reporter at Reply All.

AIR's Bitchin' Pitch Panel Pt. 1 (2017)

Jan 31, 201801:13:33

Description:

AIR’s Bitchin' Pitch Panel puts three pitchers directly in front of a panel of editors, where they sell their stories and everyone gets a little insight in to the process. There to help the pitchers and moderate in 2017 was producer Leila Day, co-host of The Stoop podcast. This first of two Bitchin’ Pitchin’ sessions we’ll be sharing on this podcast features Alicia Montgomery the Editorial Director of WAMU, Reveal’s Executive Director Kevin Sullivan and Pineapple Street Media co-founder Jenna Weiss Berman.

Human vs. Robot (2017)

Jan 23, 201801:43:04

Description:

Great tracking is the difference between a piece that immediately moves you and one you immediately forget. It's an artwork that takes time to master, but you have to start somewhere. At the 2017 Third Coast Conference, More Perfect's Sean Rameswaram shared tips for finding your voice, with added advice from Anna Sale, Sam Sanders, Stephanie Foo, Mike Pesca and Kai Ryssdal. Sometimes the solution is mastering script-writing, but it can also involve abandoning your script altogether. At the end of the day, it's all about finding your own style.

The Fact Checker (2017)

Jan 16, 201801:49:28

Description:

There's an old saying in journalism that goes: "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." This American Life's Christopher Swetala is the fact-checker who calls her to ask, and then let's you know if it's true... or not. In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, Christopher shares tips and lessons for triple-checking your own reporting and writing, and avoiding making mistakes.

Mudslide Part 2: After the Avalanche (2017)

Jan 9, 201801:59:28

Description:

In November 2016, the Third Coast Conference kicked off with a panel discussion called "Mudslide." It reflected on what journalists had gotten wrong during that year's presidential campaign, only three days after Donald Trump was elected to office. At the 2017 Third Coast Conference, Kai Wright (WNYC's United States of Anxiety) hosted a continuation of this discussion on year later. Joining him were panelists Eve Epstein (Marketplace), Al Letson (Reveal) and Leital Molad (Intercepted). Together they explored the questions facing the media one year into the new presidency.

Note: You can hear the original panel discussion here on the Pocket Conference, episode "Mudslide: The Election of 2016" (Published Dec. 12, 2016).

The Past Isn't Past (2017)

Dec 20, 201701:37:01

Description:

The year 2017 has been an unsettled time, both politically and culturally, and a lot of journalists are asking, "how exactly did we get... here?"

In this session from the 2017 Third Coast Conference, Delaney Hall considered a range of stories that trace a line from the past to the present, using deeply reported context to understand the world around us. She drew on her experiences as a producer and editor with 99% Invisible - a show that regularly delves into the past - and highlighted work from other history-centric podcasts like Revisionist History, Undone, and others. She also shared tips on how to frame and structure stories about the past, how to source archival material, how to interview and collaborate with historians, and how to bring dead characters and lost places to life in sound.

Bringing Together Narrative and News (2017)

Dec 12, 201701:51:54

Description:

The Daily podcast has brought rich sound production and narrative storytelling together with daily news and New York Times journalism.

Lisa Tobin, executive producer of audio at The New York Times , discusses what the team learned from nine months of The Daily : defining the storyline, crafting a script without scripting, and making print journalists SOUND good. She will also run through some standard radio practices that her team learned -- and then unlearned in making the show.

Help us keep delivering free session audio on the Pocket Conference by donating to Third Coast today!

https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/ThirdCoast

Late Night Provocations (2017)

Dec 5, 201700:56:09

Description:

For the last two years, the Third Coast Conference has kicked off with Late Night Provocations: a series of short talks meant to challenge, ignite & inspire. Presenters - or provocateurs - come onstage to share one provocative idea in five minutes or less. The 2017 provocateurs were: Mia Lobel (Panoply's Revisionist History), Martina Castro (Adonde Media), Tobin Low and Kathy Tu (WNYC's Nancy), Maureen McMurray (New Hampshire Public Radio), John Biewen (Scene on the Radio), and Sarah Alvarez (Outlier Media). Plus a very special 'Halftime Rumble'...

Note: Martina Castro's provocation is in English and Spanish. Visit ThirdCoastFetival.org or follow this link to see the subtitles for her bilingual talk: http://bit.ly/2j1LZSt

Taking Risks in Radio (2001)

Oct 31, 201701:35:35

Description:

From the first Third Coast Conference in 2001, this panel, moderated by Arizona-based producer Joan Schuman, asked the questions about the consequences of taking risks and approaching audio in unconventional ways. Joining Joan to answer these questions were radio legend Scott Carrier and Priya Ramu, formerly of the CBC program Outfront.

This will be the last Pocket Conference episode for a few weeks, but we'll be back in early December with sessions from the 2017 Third Coast Conference.

Kickstarter for Radio 101 (2012)

Oct 23, 201701:17:27

Description:

When you don’t have the money to make your podcast idea a reality, one way to make your dream come true is through crowdfunding.

At the 2012 Third Coast Conference, art program director Stephanie Pereira gave a primer on how to bring an audio-centric Kickstarter project to life. Joining her was Roman Mars of the podcast 99% Invisible, who shared lessons learned and insights gained while running his own (wildly successful) radio-supporting Kickstarter campaign earlier that year.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Local Radio (2010)

Oct 16, 201701:45:27

Description:

Strong local radio doesn't emerge from a moment of inspiration; it's the product of repetition, experimentation, even failure. It's about habit.

At the 2010 Third Coast Conference, Dan Grech explored strategies for producing consistent, high-impact local radio, culled from his own experiences with WLRN's Under the Sun series. Does success mean getting stories heard nationally? Is local simply about geography? And how can you fit the habit of creativity into a too-busy day? Local producers Kenny Malone, Sylvia Gross and Alicia Zuckerman joined him to share tips from the trenches.

Stand Tall (2007)

Oct 9, 201701:31:25

Description:

The best "real time" radio sounds live and spontaneous, but requires forethought and structure. This session from the 2007 Third Coast Conference focuses on how to do "stand up" in the field -- what works and what doesn't.
With examples of many pitfalls and a few successes, longtime NPR correspondent Elizabeth Arnold shared what she's learned about the practical realities of putting yourself in your piece.

The Music of Voices (2003)

Oct 2, 201701:34:38

Description:

Creative sound projects are increasingly blurring the lines between radio, audio documentary, sound art, and music.
In this session from the 2003 Third Coast Conference, Ben Rubin focuses on the history and more recent practice of artists who challenge the traditional definitions of these fields, including composer Steve Reich, artist Janet Cardiff, and maverick pianist and radio producer Glenn Gould.

Just Listen to Yourself (2008)

Sep 25, 201701:29:52

Description:

A bad editor is a curse. Having a good editor is a blessing but can often be a luxury. In this session, Deborah George explains how to work effectively with the editor you've been dealt and how to be your own editor if you don't have one.
It's all in the listening. Recorded at the 2008 Third Coast Conference.

Pushing the Boundaries of Daily Radio (2002)

Sep 18, 201701:39:23

Description:

Diamonds are made under pressure! For this session Priya Ramu and Steve Wadhams, both formerly from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, presented their advice on how to make daily radio that shines and delights.
Using examples from a wide range of daily information programming, they offered ideas and approaches that make interviews, news spots, and long-form reports more lively and memorable, no matter how tight the deadline. Recorded at the 2002 Third Coast Conference.

Audiocraft 2017: Pod/Life Balance

Sep 11, 201701:00:21

Description:

On this episode we’re bringing you another session presented at the 2017 Audiocraft Conference, in Sydney, Australia.
This talk features American producer Megan Tan, host and creator of the podcast Millennial, and Australian podcaster Sophie Harper of the show Not By Accident. Not only do they both share their own personal stories on their shows, but they also have no commute from sofa to studio. In this session they’ll unravel their podcasting lives and talk about how they got started, their production processes, and the pros and cons of putting themselves centrestage.
If you like what you hear, subscribe to the Audiocraft podcast for more great sessions from down under, or check them out at audiocraft.com.au

The Invisible Narrator (2006)

Sep 4, 201701:29:49

Description:

This session explores "found narration" - archival tape, interviews, audio diary entries - and sound that can all be used to perform the job of the narrator. What do you gain and what do you give up when you throw away the script?
Producer Joe Richman breaks down the process, from getting tape to editing to producing.

Audiocraft 2017: Under the Hood

Aug 28, 201701:07:17

Description:

On this episode we’re bringing you a session presented at the 2017 Audiocraft Conference, in Sydney, Australia!
This talk features Jesse Cox and Belinda Lopez, who are part of the production team behind ABC Radio National’s podcast This Is About… a show that digs deep into issues that matter and tells stories of all the beautiful, awkward and messy stuff that happens to people. Through sharing their favourite works and techniques, Belinda and Jesse touch on how to produce compelling narratives through careful story pacing, structure and sound. And they dive into what a good pitch looks like.
If you like what you hear, subscribe to the Audiocraft podcast for more great sessions from down under, or check them our at audiocraft.com.au

Telling Stories Far From Home (2006)

Aug 21, 201701:37:07

Description:

How can a producer prepare to make radio stories about distant lands and the people who live there, and why tell those stories anyway?
Stephanie Guyer-Stevens shares her experiences working in remote areas with Outer Voices, and talks about issues ranging from the pragmatic to the philosophical.

The Script Disappears (2010)

Aug 14, 201701:39:49

Description:

You've pitched your story; you've collected tape; you've gone through your edits; you're ready to track.
But how should you sound when you lay down your narration? What words to emphasize? What tone to take? Watch and listen while Emily Botein leads the way, as producers get "tracked" in real time by coaches with different styles and approaches to voicing.
This session includes the brave trackers: Jesse Dukes, John Biewen, and Colette Kinsella.

Own Your Thing Part 2 (2014)

Aug 7, 201701:31:28

Description:

Now more than ever, you can own your podcast - make it, distribute it, sell it. How is it done?
Discover if you have the interest - and the stomach - to be a radio entrepreneur, and learn what it takes.
Own Your Thing (Part 2) was hosted by Lea Thau - who built The Moth from a small local series to a nation organization - with panelists Chris Bannon (WNYC), Alex Blumberg (Gimlet Media), and Kerri Hoffman (PRX/Radiotopia). Recorded at the 2014 Third Coast Conference.

Own Your Thing Part 1 (2014)

Jul 31, 201701:28:43

Description:

Now more than ever, you can own your podcast - make it, distribute it, sell it. How is it done?
Discover if you have the interest - and the stomach - to be a radio entrepreneur, and learn what it takes.
Own Your Thing (Part 1) was hosted by Lea Thau, with panelists Daniel Alarcón (Radio Ambulante), Hillary Frank (Longest Shortest Time), and Nick van der Kolk (Love + Radio). Recorded at the 2014 Third Coast Conference.

Late(ish) Night with Ira Glass (2012)

Jul 24, 201700:58:10

Description:

Ira Glass brought the first day of the 2012 Third Coast Conference to a close by sharing his favorite moments from the year's Third Coast winners and other stories.
He also mused about why, despite the popular opinion at the time that the medium might soon disappear, it was - and now even more so - actually an awesome time to be making radio. Recorded at the 2012 Third Coast Conference.

Whose Story Is It? (2012)

Jul 18, 201701:26:04

Description:

Over the past several years, we've seen the journalism world take a hard look at itself. Reporters and documentary-makers have had to confront the relationship between cold, hard facts and the push to make compelling stories linger long after they’re heard.
Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute moderated a panel at the 2012 Third Coast Conference to address the ethical dilemmas that pop up for journalists when producing stories. She was joined by Matt Thompson, now the deputy editor at The Atlantic, and documentarian Alex Kotlowitz. Together they discussed the common, shared ethical values of reporting and whether those values are absolute or if they can be bent. Recorded at the 2012 Third Coast Conference.
Note: This session features a clip from Alex’s film, The Interrupters. You can watch it here: http://bit.ly/Pocket33

Reality Check! (2017)

Jul 7, 201702:07:48

Description:

In June, Third Coast went to Brooklyn where we hosted a frank discussion at the Bell House for aspiring and current podcasters about what it takes to make it in today’s podcast landscape.
We were joined by some of the top people behind some of the biggest story-based podcasts: Jenna Weiss-Berman (Pineapple Street Media), Alex Blumberg (Gimlet Media), N’Jeri Eaton (NPR) and Julie Shapiro (Radiotopia).
Picking their brains was Third Coast’s Johanna Zorn, with Nick Quah of Hotpod keeping them honest.
We asked the following questions and more: What makes a successful podcast? How do you market it? What are the benefits of hosting live shows? When and how do you join a podcast network? What new innovations are on the horizon?

Parachuting In (2012)

Jul 3, 201701:23:40

Description:

(aka: State of the Re:Union's Secret Recipe for Serious Place-based Storytelling... in Practically No Time!)
From 2010 to 2015, the Jacksonville-based WJCT program State of the Re:Union took listeners on a tour of America one city at a time. In this session, host Al Letson and producers Tina Antolini and Laura Starecheski reveal their secret recipe for how to arrive in an unfamiliar place, stay for 5-7 days and leave with a whole hour's worth of sound-rich, scene-based radio stories.
Recorded at the 2012 Third Coast Conference.

Die, Mediocrity, Die! (2006)

Jun 26, 201701:28:15

Description:

Do your own radio scripts ever bore you? Or frustrate, confuse, and deflate you?
Nancy Updike, who has written stories ranging in length from 50 seconds to 59 minutes, presents easy approaches to making your writing sharper, more memorable, and more engaged with the tape. Also, learn how to make drab tape beautiful through writing, and along the way, enjoy some schadenfreude: instructive stories of mistakes and failure are shared for the benefit of all.
Recorded at the 2006 Third Coast Conference.

The Amazing Radio Vertikalisator (2014)

Jun 19, 201701:23:44

Description:

Inspired by a Lego time machine her son built, Iceland-based independent producer Rikke Houd created a tool to help producers take advantage of the vast space radio offers.
In this session from the 2014 Third Coast Conference, Rikke demonstrates how thinking about your story as an exercise in time travel can add depth, perspective and pleasure to your work.
Note! You may want to keep a drawing of The Radio Vertikalisator handy while you listen. And you'll definitely want transcripts of Rikke's non-English language audio examples. You can find both here: http://bit.ly/pocket30

Bring Extra Batteries (2006)

Jun 12, 201701:45:56

Description:

Attention new producers! Before heading out into the world with headphones on and mic facing forward, what do you need to know? Here's where you find out.
Armed with a multitude of audio examples, Rob Rosenthal discusses story-making preparations - from research and interview planning to thinking in scenes and collecting ambient sound - and shares thoughts on making a go of radio for a living.
Recorded at the 2006 Third Coast Conference.

Documenter and Documentee — Part 2 (2007)

Jun 5, 201701:39:50

Description:

Documenting somebody else's life is one of the hardest challenges producers face in their work. Over an extended period of time relationships intensify, stories often change drastically, and the line between personal and too personal blurs easily.
In this two-part session, producers talk with the subjects of their work about the stories they've documented, the struggles they faced together throughout the process, and what they've learned from each other through the experience.
Documenter and Documentee (part two) is moderated by Joe Richman, and features Michele Norris (NPR) and Sharon White, the subject of two pieces Norris produced on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Recorded at the 2007 Third Coast Conference.

Documenter and Documentee — Part 1 (2007)

May 29, 201701:38:03

Description:

Documenting somebody else's life is one of the hardest challenges producers face in their work. Over an extended period of time relationships intensify, stories often change drastically, and the line between personal and too personal blurs easily.
Two producers talk with the subjects of their work about the stories they've documented, the struggles they faced together throughout the process, and what they've learned from each other through the experience.
Documenter and Documentee (part one) is moderated by Joe Richman, with producer Mary Beth Kirchner and Rebecca Peterson, the subject of Kirchner's A Year to Live, A Year to Die.
Recorded at the 2007 Third Coast Conference.

These Are a Few of the Kitchen Sister's Favorite Things (2008)

May 21, 201701:22:27

Description:

Ever wonder what inspires, obsesses and ignites the Kitchen Sisters? Find out during this hour-plus showcase of audio (and other less-evolved art forms) culled from their accidental archive and the stirring work of others.
Among other surprises you'll hear shards of sound, music, film clips, and many, many stories.
Recorded at the 2008 Third Coast Conference.

How to Rock the Funky Story (2012)

May 15, 201701:37:54

Description:

Here's a conversation about the essence of story. Any story.
Through the lenses of radio, video, music and structure, Snap Judgment's Glynn Washington digs into the nitty-gritty of narrative, and explores what it means to impart meaning and inspiration over the air - especially if your method flies against current radio conventions.
Recorded at the 2012 Third Coast Conference.

Turning Investigative Reporting into Artful Radio (2014)

May 8, 201701:36:58

Description:

When done well, investigative radio stories have the power to change the world.
But it's not easy. All those documents, numbers and unnamed sources who don't want to go on tape make investigative stories seem like the least friendly radio stories on the planet. NPR's Laura Sullivan breaks down the critical pieces that make investigative radio stories an art form of their own, the structure that brings them to life and the moments that leave other forms of journalism in the dust.
Recorded at the 2014 Third Coast Conference.

In Praise of the Sandbox (2007)

May 1, 201701:32:16

Description:

At every Third Coast Conference we hear from producers and audio makers whose work inspires us. But what inspires them? In 2007, we got to hear a taste from seasoned producer Jay Allison, the co-founder of Transom.org and the Public Radio Exchange. In this session, Jay shared work that is full of play, experimentation and surprise — stories that keep the creative spark alive, even in an otherwise serious radio world. Ok, here’s Jay Allison with ‘In Praise of the Sandbox’.
Recorded at the 2007 Third Coast Conference

Making Radio Against Most Odds (2012)

Apr 24, 201701:28:19

Description:

Imagine reporting in a culture that speaks a language your listeners don't understand, and covering issues your listeners don't totally care about - all in a country that doesn't even want you there in the first place.
Add to this unforgiving news deadlines, and you've got the life of a foreign correspondent covering the Arab uprisings and their aftermath. In this session, NPR's Kelly McEvers shares her work and talks about how to tell memorable radio stories, despite limited resources on all fronts.
Recorded at the 2012 Third Coast Conference.

Making News Stories Good Stories (2014)

Apr 17, 201701:29:29

Description:

Guess what? You can tell great stories on the news, too.
In a good story, something happens. You care about the person it happens to. There are stakes, an arc. Hopefully some suspense. You know, like the stories you hear on the programs you love. But it's also possible to make news stories... great. Maybe you can't use mood music or fancy sound design. But you can report like you're making a documentary, even if it you have to do it in one day. In this session, Marianne McCune tells you how.
Recorded at the 2014 Third Coast Conference.

These Are a Few of Jad Abumrad's Favorite Things (2012)

Apr 10, 201701:08:19

Description:

Drawing from radio and beyond, Jad Abumrad shares the stories, sounds, people and projects that have most inspired him over the years, and talked about some of the creative challenges he's faced (and embraced) along the way.
Recorded at the 2012 Third Coast Conference.

Audio Code Switching: Tackling Race on the Radio (2014)

Apr 3, 201701:28:51

Description:

We need to talk about race - with humanity and humor.
NPR's Code Switch project embraces the themes of race, ethnicity and culture that play out in our lives, but are often overlooked in our radio stories. Code Switch's Shereen Marisol Meraji shares her methods of looking at news stories through these lenses, and leads a spirited and frank conversation about how to tap into dialogues about race happening outside of public media.
Recorded at the 2014 Third Coast Conference.

Blockbuster Sound (2016)

Feb 16, 201701:33:23

Description:

Danish-based producer Tim Hinman, of the podcast Third Ear, finds inspiration for his exquisite sound design at the movies, and in this session he shares how it’s done.
Hinman will use a ton of examples to take us through the entire production process, from recordings to final mixes, to demonstrate how to make sound a more dynamic storyteller in your work. What you’ll have, he says, is sound that is bigger, louder and prouder than ever before.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

The Only Ten Words That Matter (2016)

Feb 16, 201701:13:28

Description:

What separates a “good” program from a “great” program is often the clarity of its vision: what is the show and who is it trying to speak to?
In this session, Audible’s Eric Nuzum shares the process he uses with creators to define their program idea and clarify how it’s different from anything else in the universe. He’ll use lots of examples to show how this process works and teach you how you can do it on your own and with collaborators.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Compose Yourself: a producer’s guide to working with musicians (2016)

Feb 6, 201701:27:43

Description:

It’s becoming more common for podcast producers to work with composers to create an original soundtrack. At this session, producer Michael May and composer/producer Nick DePrey share their techniques for bringing a piece to life with music and sound design.
Learn how to conceptualize your perfect score and communicate it to a composer. And don’t miss their live demonstration where they’ll score a piece of tape volunteered by a Third Coast participant.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Embrace the Chaos (2016)

Feb 6, 201701:37:26

Description:

The world of podcasting has become a crowded one. With a bevy of competing styles and purviews, having a unique voice is an increasingly valuable commodity... both artistically and financially.
But finding that voice is easier said than done, and requires a willingness to take risk. So how do we take real, calculated risk? In this session, Love + Radio's Nick van der Kolk will examine methods for taking chances, maintaining a sense of play, and experimenting toward new forms and new ideas.

The Pit of Despair (2016)

Jan 18, 201701:36:38

Description:

For some people, making great radio is easy. Ben Calhoun has no idea what those people are talking about! For him, making radio is hard, beset by self-doubt -- and he finds it’s often easy to get stuck.
As a former This American Life producer and Radiolab contributor, and WBEZ's current VP of content and programming, Ben’s had a chance to watch a lot of smart people beat back the forces of creative despair. In this session, he’ll share a few strategies he’s hatched, many he’s stolen, and pass on some concrete tools for un-slumping your situation.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

The Bigness of the Small Story (2016)

Jan 18, 201701:28:24

Description:

Never underestimate the power of a finely crafted intimate narrative. These “small stories” of everyday life have the potential to bring listeners in close to reveal the complexities and ambiguities of the world around us.
Celebrated author, filmmaker and radio journalist Alex Kotlowitz will share tips on finding compelling narratives, interviewing subjects to elicit unforgettable tape, and crafting a seemingly small story that speaks to something so much bigger.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

We'll Drive Till We Find An Exit (2016)

Jan 18, 201701:26:40

Description:

A session about the joy and fear of pursuing stories without any idea of how they're going to succeed, or if they're going to succeed at all.
Reply All’s PJ Vogt shares some tricks for making these kinds of off-the-map stories work. He’ll talk about how you gather tape for a story you don't yet have a map for, how to include your original sense of wonder and discovery in your final script, and how to take stories that feel ordinary and insist on them becoming more strange.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

The Sound of Breaking News (2016)

Jan 18, 201701:28:03

Description:

You’re sent to cover breaking news – a natural disaster or a large-scale accident or crime. You don’t have much time, or much warning. How do you bring back sound-rich, interesting tape, that makes listeners perk up their ears?
The Northwest News Network’s Phyllis Fletcher manages breaking news coverage as an editor for reporters throughout the urban and rural Northwest. Phyllis walks us through a triage system she’s developed to partner with her reporters, and plays excellent examples of telling breaking news stories in sound.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Under the Skin: Making Audio Visceral (2016)

Jan 11, 201701:07:20

Description:

Can a documentary make you dance? Turn you on? Make you jump in fear? We get under the skin of documentary's visceral possibilities, exploring how we edit to impact the listener's body as much as their mind.
Falling Tree Productions' Eleanor McDowall delves into audio erotica, unsettling horror and dynamic action sequences to examine the creative possibilities of playing with the physical impact of audio.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

First Off... This is in Really Good Shape (2016)

Jan 11, 201701:39:55

Description:

In this session for editors - or anyone who wants to help someone else shape a story – Gimlet Media’s Jorge Just explores the delicate art of making good things better.
Jorge walks you through various editorial processes (group edits, one-on-one edits, even walking edits), and plays samples from pieces at different stages of evolution to demonstrate the editor's role in how stories are conceived, developed, and sometimes killed. Learn techniques to help others make their very best work.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Bitchin' Pitchin': The Art of the Pitch — Day 2 (2016)

Jan 11, 201701:27:14

Description:

A bonafide Third Coast tradition, this session pulls back the curtain on one of the most difficult and important skills every producer needs to master: how to pitch a story.
AIR’s Pitch Panel puts producers directly in front of editors, selling their stories with a little help from hosts, WNYC’s Emily Botein and Katie Bishop.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Bitchin' Pitchin': The Art of the Pitch — Day 1 (2016)

Jan 11, 201701:27:34

Description:

A bonafide Third Coast tradition, this session pulls back the curtain on one of the most difficult and important skills every producer needs to master: how to pitch a story.
AIR’s Pitch Panel puts producers directly in front of editors, selling their stories with a little help from hosts, WNYC’s Emily Botein and Katie Bishop.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Finding the People — and Sounds! — Behind the Numbers (2016)

Jan 11, 201701:17:30

Description:

Reveal producers Ike Sriskandarajah and Laura Starecheski will show you how they create gripping radio out of stacks of documents and endless columns of numbers.
You don’t have to be an investigative reporter to come away from this session with some jewels of knowledge to set in your radio crown. You just have to be someone who’s ever stumbled across a shocking statistic, had your mind blown… and then struggled to turn it into a sound-rich radio story with characters and a narrative arc.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

These are a few of Audie Cornish and Sean Cole's Favorite Things (2016)

Dec 12, 201601:38:52

Description:

Audie Cornish and Sean Cole came up in radio together — smoking on the front steps of WBUR in Boston, puzzling over stories. Now Audie is a co-host of NPR's All Things Considered and Sean is a producer at This American Life.
But they still talk all the time about different ways of making radio, and how the divide between "newsy news" and "fun storytelling" might just be in our heads. They bring that conversation on stage and play samples of their favorite things for each other, and for you.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Make Them Care: Crafting Narratives About Entrenched Social Problems (2016)

Dec 12, 201601:21:31

Description:

In this session, Nikole Hannah-Jones (The New York Times) and Chana Joffe-Walt (This American Life) talk about how to build a story structure that will make listeners care about even the most familiar, entrenched social problems.
They discuss the narrative and reporting techniques they used to help resurrect a long-dead discussion of school segregation in their Peabody-winning This American Life collaboration, and how to translate longform print journalism into the language of radio.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

How to Make Your Listener Levitate & Other Magic Tricks (2016)

Dec 12, 201601:19:53

Description:

You don’t want your audience to listen half-heartedly – you want them to be so deeply engaged, they’re a little surprised when they bump down to earth at the end.
So how do we create audio that doesn’t just entertain, but enchant? UK producer Cathy FitzGerald shows how she hooks her listeners: head, heart, guts and soul. In this session, she offers practical tips on creating an intense, tangible world through scripting, structure and surprise – and then considers the magic that happens when we take a step back and let listeners make sense of it for themselves.
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.

Mudslide: The Election of 2016 (2016)

Dec 12, 201601:39:33

Description:

With the ink on the ballots still wet, Third Coast dives into the past year of political reporting. How were journalists most - and least - successful covering the presidential election and its voters? And: where do we go from here?
Bob Garfield ( On the Media ) moderates with panelists Zoe Chace ( This American Life ) Maria Hinojosa ( Latino USA ), and Sam Sanders (NPR).
Recorded at the 2016 Third Coast Conference.